The Appeal Of A Mockumentary


By Mattie Knight


Mockumentaries are known to be a documentaries that are completely fictional but would actually cover real events. Basically, a mockumentary is actually just a parody that would make use of an entire fictional story with a setting and characters that are not real but seem real. These shows are actually widely watched by viewers since this is a fictional type of story that would be presented like it was real so it is something different.

Now for those who are not familiar with this type of show, there are actually two kinds that exist. These two types would be the comedic type which is the most common and the dramatic one. These are the only two kinds of mockumentaries one can see on television.

The most common would be the comedic one because the mockumentaries that would be shown on television would want to mock a certain issue in a very funny way so that it is light to the viewers. The nature of the comedic types would be that it would appear to be serious on the surface but there are dialogues and actions that are clearly for laughs. Also, unlike the sitcoms or the funny movies, there would be no laugh track at all to make it really seem like a real documentary.

The second type which is the drama type is actually a more serious one that would usually try to depict some sort of message. This would also show a certain issue or a story of a person with a lot of dramatization just like a movie except that it is presented to look like it is real. Of course the setting, characters, and story plot are all fictional.

Now exactly like in documentaries, these mockumentaries would also have a specific time line that they would follow when showing the events of the film. The same would go for the mockumentaries that would be showcasing the life of a person and the events in his life. There is a sequence that should be followed so that it will look as realistic as possible.

These types of documentaries only really popularized in the eighties when director Rob Reiner who directed This Is Spinal Tap coined the term in an interview. From there, these kinds of shows took off in terms of popularity with a lot of people enjoying these types of shows. Some of which even made their way to the cinemas in some countries and in some regions.

One of the most popular mockumentaries in the comedic genre is the one about Borat which depicts cultural differences. Another very popular one is Bruno which now tackles the issue of gay men in a funny way. Many more out there would include Confetti and Im Still Here.

Of course in the drama genre, there would be the Blair Witch Project which hit the cinemas after it was shown. In the horror genre, many others followed with Paranormal Activity being one of the most popular. For action, there would be films like Cloverfield and Into the Storm.




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